Pixie's Crafty Snippets Challenge - Weeks 19 and 20

It's still been a week of wellies and macs down in in the playground, those of you who've been lucky to see that big round yellow thing where you live (we knew it as the sun) - good on you!

This week's snippets card came about when Tracy of Cardmakers Delights sent me a selection of card toppers to play with  and is the first card I came up with: 

Tracy designs some fabulous toppers, mostly Shabby Chic, Vintage, Distressed and even Steam Punk - to take a peek just click on the link here. I've also spotted some adorable teddies and kittens :)

My snippets card only uses snippets of lace and ribbon this week - no snippets of paper or card for once. I was going to say 'It's my playground so I can make the rules' but guess what, it isn't mine after all - you little scallywags are what makes it the playground, I just take care of the roll call and the keys! Oh, and am currently fighting a rear guard action as Sam wants to bring go-karts in now - whatever next! :(

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock

- backing paper from the Prima Annalee paper pack (thanks Dee!)

- topper from the French Birds and Butterflies set, by Cardmakers Delights

- heart shaped doily, rubbed over with Tim Holtz 'Spun Sugar' Distress Ink pad

- lace and ribbon from snippets. The luscious rich pink grosgrain ribbon was on the box containing a lovely posy which Stu and Jess brought me last week when they collected their wedding stationery

- pearl pin from the pincushion that Bernie made holding pearl headed pins which brightens up my craft desk :)

- pink die cut butterfly from Sarn, I just added a little row of pearls and (snigger) also trimmed the top tips off the wings when I accidentally tore one whilst fiddling with it :(

I'd like to enter this card in the current Phindy's Place Challenge which is 'Vintage'. A step further for me but I'll certainly be playing with more of the toppers so thank you Tracy!

Right girls (no boys as yet) - here's this week's roll call. 'Are you sitting comfortably, then I'll begin'. Hands up those old enough to remember that on Listen With Mother.......... way back in history :)

First into the playground was Brenda with a great Less Is More challenge card, which also used snippets for the card and background. Really clever take on the LIM challenge and I totally love the tulips Brenda - such gorgeous colours. A real splash of Spring (no pun intended, despite our foul weather over here). It's good to have you back from your hols and playing with us again Brenda!

Like quite a few of you, Karen combined her snippets card with Sarn's Rudolph Day challenge - and what a little beauty too. You can see it here - featuring a lovely Christmas tree with a modern feel to it, and I especially love the finishing touch of eyelets and a little braid bow. So cute Karen!

Sandra H hopped in next, with such a cute 'Prince Charming' card all in blues and pinks - really pretty Sandra. Lots of really lovely papers, doily, faux stitching, and - although I don't see lace listed - there's a very lacy effect to the whole card. Great colouring too Sandra - and the decoupaged cushion and slipper is a lovely finishing touch :)

Next, in bounced Helen with a terrific A6 birthday card. It's nice to see A6 cards still getting a look in, I know I'm quite guilty of favouring square cards a lot of the time. And what glorious rich colours too - deep purplish/pinks with a dash of bright green as a perfect contrast - and so clever the way the butterfly and that beautiful flower compliment each other perfectly.

Hazel paid us a few visits again this week - firstly with this smashing Christmas card, it really brought a smile to my face :) Then we had another fabulous Christmas tree card, with such a clever take on a photo and the most vibrant colours, love it! This was followed by a really jolly Santa Christmas card, also for Rudolph Day, I do have to smile as Hazel made her guests pull their Christmas crackers very carefully last Christmas and is (wisely) recycling the lovely red glittered card. The things we get up to in the interests of crafting :) The, with a real switch, Hazel's next card was for a 'golfer' - brilliant make Hazel and I love the way even the backing paper picks up the diamond pattern on the golf bag :) Just right! Then Hazel showed a card partly made using the 'moppings' from some ink spots left from making a different card, plus some fabby William Morris card. Ha, ha - the other day as I parked at the supermarket I spotted a busy little squirrel - not truly grey or red, more brown shades - and I did wonder if we should nominate our Snippets Squirrel sometime - Hazel could well be a strong contender :) because - the next card here also used more moppings and William Morris card, but so different to the previous one. Love them both Hazel! The next card really made me open my eyes wide and say 'Wow' out loud - just take a look here! I've picked it as my favourite one of Hazel's this week - I love the shades of peach and pink, really pretty. Hazel's next card (which now ties with the previous one as my favourite of Hazel's) is ready for her weekly Christmas card challenge and it's a real eyecatcher. The theme of the challenge is stripes - so hop over here to Hazel's card and you can also see how to enter the challenge. I just love the red hot pink, white, grey and black colour combo Hazel.l

Jules, our Queen of Hearts, managed to come and play on Sunday last week - with two fabulous cards to share. One was also for Rudolph Day but they both used snippets. And what super cards too, I know, what else would we expect :) The first one is all in delicious shades of lilac - such an elegant Birthday card Jules. Then we have another gorgeous card, this one is for Christmas, very elegant once again with great papers, just fabulous snowflakes and (sob) stitching. Both really brilliant Jules!

Next was Irene, and she's been using 'inchies' this week. A really adorable Baby Boy card in soft blues and white was the result - here. So cute Irene, and I really love the way you mounted the inchies onto a larger square of card and then embossed it. Before I read all of the posting I thought 'Well, blow me, didn't Irene line the embossing up well' - duh, asses ears again here :(

Carol nipped in next with a beautiful card, with absolutely tons of detail on it. You must go and look here if you haven't done so already, it's really fabulous. Super image and so much lovely detail too, I've had a jolly good nose and it's truly stunning. Lots of ribbon, matting and layering, die cutting, punching, roses - the list goes on. I was looking for the join in the mat that Carol mentioned and even tried lifting the ribbon but couldn't reach through the laptop screen :) So it shows, you can always cleverly join two snippets to make a bigger one!

Next was Rach, with a very elegant card - mostly using Stampin's Up goodies. A few of us in the playground, and in our other postings, have been going quietly crazy over SU lately :) I have yet another wish list as long as your arm! Anyhow, back to Rach's card - which you can see here - the back ground card is a gorgeous colour and beautifully stamped but what totally leaps out is the really clever way Rach stamped a soft row of trees and then split it before mounting onto card. The final effect is a bit like looking out through a paned window - love it Rach! Later on, Rach hopped back, gleefully proclaiming she'd set up a folding table for crafting in the bedroom she shares with Mr F - nice move Rach! And what a pretty card, using an SU Embosslit to make little butterflies too. Some small snippets used up here - and the result is really lovely - love the bright colours!

Linby (Lynne) raced in next - with some sweet tobacco which some of you must remember from childhood. Tongue in cheek I did comment that if there was to be tobacco in the playground, sweet cigarettes and chocolate pipes even, I just hoped they would be in plain white wrappers :) Lynne's card, which you can see here is absolutely lovely - just perfect in fact! Such a delicate and soft basket of flowers in the prettiest shades of pale blue and sort of minky beige  - I really love it Lynne!

Next was Laura, with this really sweet Birthday card. Just perfect for a Spring Birthday - a great Penny Black image, beautifully coloured, and lovely bright papers, flower, ribbon and gems. Super colouring Laura and I love the way the flowers that the 'courting cat' is holding are all toned to the other colours on the card :) Don't ask me why I think it's a 'courting cat' - there's perhaps just something a bit sheepish about the way he's holding the flowers, just like a chap :)

Karen T is beavering away making cards for an animal charity and her card, here, has a very elegant Siamese cat on it. And a very elegant shoe as well - to have a close look do enlarge the image girls. Love the shades of pink and peach with the pale turquoise Karen, a really pretty card. The sentiment 'Someone Special' sure sums that cat up, it has the expression of a cat with a haughty attitude - snigger, I doubt if she would entertain Laura's cat, even with his lovely flowers, as a suitor :)

Next to hop in for a play was Sally - bringing two cards and a skipping rope plus a bag of cherry lips to share. All these sweeties really are like a trip down memory lane, anyone remember sherbet flying saucers? Sally's first card is one for the boys, an 18th Birthday card for a travel loving, trumpet playing rugby player, and you can't find those all together on a card in the shops as Sally says :) Just great and perfect for the recipient. Sally's other card is really 'girlie'  with a dress that a lot of us would have killed for in my youth and lots of pretty touches. Great cards Sally, and I'm still grinning about the fact that the young man was going to have to buy an interview suit as his only suit thus far is a scuba diving one. Oh, that did conjure up a lovely image, and he might well have got the job for entertainment value :)

Tammy brought two beautiful cards this week to show - shame you didn't bring some sunshine too Tammy, I keep checking for webbing growing between my toes down here in Hampshire :( Here's Tammy's first card - and what a beauty too. Loads of detail including snippets, a lovely image, flowers (including a mahoosive tulle one, absolutely fabulous), seam binding, button, more tulle - the list goes on and no description of mine would compare to hopping over for a look. Then, Tammy brought this absolutely divine Mothers Day card - oh wow! Pinks and purples, lots of roses, a huge bow - it's quite, quite gorgeous Tammy! 

Next was Elizabeth with a really terrific Thank You card, all made from strips of snippets - just shows girls, don't even throw those little strips away if you can help it! Turquoise and browns always work so well together, and the addition of faux stitching, bakers twine and pearls are a lovely finishing touch. Then, Elizabeth hopped back in for another go on the swings with this fabulous card, which incorporates pink, Edith Holden 'Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady' papers etc. (I've always loved Edith Holden paintings), lace, butterflies, card candi - to name a few. Really pretty card and a super make Elizabeth, I love it! And finally, on another visit Elizabeth brought us this great card - here - with birds foot trefoil and the very pretty floral image. More Edith Holden papers, lace, punching and lots of pretty things - plus a couple of fabulous outdoors photos too. Do go and take a peek, an all round fascinating post Elizabeth.

Mary Mac has also just returned from some travelling, but ran into the playground to show us this beautiful Thank You card. The purples and silver are just stunning together - check out the flower, heart and bow too - and this isn't a one-off from what I gather Mary? Mary runs classes, and when you hop over you'll see exactly why - a really fabulous make Mary, plus the inside is decorated too (sob). Aw, and there's also the latest video of Mama Blue jay feeding the babies :)

Next was Sarn - missing in action last week 'bad girl' - but this week sure making up for it with this 'Just For You' card. Lots of lovely SU products here - and great colour combinations too. Punching and die cutting then putting a card together isn't always easy (at least I find that) but this really works so well Sarn. Love that flower stamp - I think I saw that last Saturday when we met? And I'm quietly in love with Indigo Island. Sigh, more on the wish list.

Next was Tara with this fabulous CASE'd card. Now, I'm gonna show my ignorance here 'cos I know the principle of CASE but not what the acronym (big word, yay!) stands for. Is it copy and show? Whatever, Tara did a brilliant job - the HAPPY letters just pop right out at you, really vibrant colours and I also love the way the word Birthday has been cleverly incorporated. Great stuff Tara!

OK, whilst on the subject of Tara (aka Craftilicious), I know this is a snippets challenge but we all do play at other things too, and I know that Tara is very involved with running the St Luke's Charity Card Challenge. This months challenge is a one layer card and so far, only two people have entered - normally there's a really good turnout :( The challenge raises much needed funds for St Luke's from donated cards - but also, by making a card and linking it on your blog, you're spreading the word. So how about it girls? If I can make a one layer card (always gives me the jitters tackling one of those, but hey, you can only try) then anyone can! Pretty please? It's about time I sent another parcel off to St. Luke's as well - something else added to my 'to do' list.

Our final playmate of the week is Maggie, with two lovely scenic cards (based on Clarity stamps) which you can see here. They're both gorgeous - one is quite oriental and the other a more traditional English country scene, I love the mysterious quality of them. Something I'd love to try is to make some decent scenes like these using stamps - Maggie sure cracked it! Do go and peek - but be warned you might be hooked on the idea!

Thanks Maggie, and others, for hoping I feel better now. Yes indeedy I do - the back is almost 100% again (probably a pinched nerve and I'm next with the skipping ropes please) and the sadness of earlier this week is easing a lot. Life goes on as they say and happier times are the best ones to remember - and I surely have some happy times with you crazy kids :)

I think I hear the playground gates rattling already so it's time to post the roll call and stand back while little feet come trotting in to share crafty snippets makes - and sweets :) Aw no, is that smoke I see - and surely not the revving of a go-kart? 'Nuff said - let play begin!

Mr Linky is below as usual. Hope you have a great week, and that the Bank Holiday isn't a total wipe out here in the UK.  If it is, then just disappear into your little craft rooms :)

Di
x

The only conditions to playing nicely in the Snippet Playground are that your card (or anything else you wish to bring here to show) must be made by using up snippets (card, paper, lace and ribbon are all fine), and a link back to here in your own blog posting will mean that you'll be included in the Weekly Roll Call. Oh, and no nipping or hair pulling of course :)